Flexible medium voltage DC electric railway systems

MVDC-ERS flexible medium voltage DC electric railway systems logoThe overall aim of MVDC-ERS is to investigate the next generation railway electrification systems, DC power electronic traction transformers and technologies for integrating renewable sources, to challenge the traditional rail approach to develop innovative and breakthrough technological concepts.

Objectives

  • To introduce new high-efficiency topologies of power conversion systems to convert medium-voltage AC power into medium-voltage DC power with the capability of limiting the short circuit current.
  • To introduce high-power density topologies of power converters for on-board DC transformers.
  • To investigate the impact of the forthcoming wide band-gap semiconductor devices in terms of efficiency and voltage level for the converters of the feeder stations and in terms of weight and volume for the traction converters.
  • To understand how the new railway electrification system should be controlled and protected when renewable power sources are integrated.
  • To understand how on-board energy storage can be exploited and how it can optimise the operations of the network.
  • To work with industrial stakeholders to investigate the marketability of the new electrification system and trains.

Partners

Researchers

University of Birmingham

Technical University of Cluj-Napoca

  • Professor Dorin Petreuș, Supervisor of Mr Izsák Ferdinánd Ferencz
  • Mr Izsák Ferdinánd Ferencz, PhD Student

Funding

This project has received funding from the Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking (JU) under grant agreement No 826238. The JU receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and the Shift2Rail JU members other than the Union.

EU flag

Shift 2 Rail EU programme logo

Outputs

Publications